Star Trek etymology

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by Xand, Aug 19, 2013.

  1. Xand

    Xand Ensign Newbie

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    Star Trek etymology:
    Ocampa Lat. oc, ob -toward, against + campus -field
    Annorax Lat. annum -year + rex -king
    Dukat Lat. ducere, ducatus -to lead (leader)
    Hirogen hero + generare -to born, generate
    Masaka from word mask
    Kazon Gr. kakos -bad + zone
    Borg Gr. kybernetes -helmsman + ergon, -org -work, cyborg
    Korgano Lat. cor -heart + Gr. ganos -joy
    Cardassia Gr. kardia -heart + as, assis -copper coin (heart made of copper because were cruel)
    Ferengi Lat. fero, ferre -to bear, to carry + angor, anxiety
    Krenim Gr. chronos -time
    Orpax or -gold (French) + Lat. pax -peace
    Tricorder Lat. tri -three + cor, cordis -heart (three times thinker for computer com -together, with + putare -to think
    Hologram Gr. holos -whole, complete + gramma -letter, writing
    Android Gr. aner, andros -man + eidos, -oid -form, shape
    Duras Lat. durus -hard
    Ponfar Lat. ponere -to put + fari -to speak
    Sto-vo-kor Lat. sto -I stand + vocare -to call + cor, cordis -heart
    Ulani Belor Lat. ullus -any + an -of, related to + bellum -war
    Benil Lat. bene -well + il -of, related to
    Dolak Lat. dolor -pain + ac -of, related to
    Korinas Lat. cor, cordis -heart + in -of, related to
    Lonar Lat. luna -moon
    Krim grim
    Ocett Lat. oculus -eye + ett -little, small
    Pirak Gr. pyr -fire + ac -of, related to
    Preloc Lat. prae, pre -before + loqui, locutus -speak
    Prenar Lat. prae, pre -before + nare -to swim
    Ranor Lat. rana -frog
    Rekelen Lat. re, red -back, again + celare -to hide + en -of, related to
    Revok Lat. re, red -back, again + vocare -to call
    Rugal Lat. ruga -wrinkle + al -of, related to
    Seska Lat. sedere, sessus -to sit, settle + ka -of, related to (Slavic, Sanskrit)
    Spumco Lat. spuma -foam
    Surjak Hindi suraj -sun + ac -of, related to
    Telak Gr. tele -far + ac -of, related to
    Suliban Lat. sulum, suli -each thing, everything + bane
    Talaxians Lat. talis -such, so great + ax -having ability, ing suffix
    Vorta Lat. vorare, voratus -to swallow, devour
    Vidiians Lat. videre -to see, look at, vidi -I have seen
    Delvok Lat. delere, deletus -delete, destroy + vocare -to call
    Taurik Gr. taurus -bull + ic -of, related to
    Tuvok Lat. tu -you + vocare -to call
    Weyoun way + Lat. unus, una -one
    Mala Lat. malus, mala -evil, bad
    Motura Lat. movere, motus -to move + ur -of, related
    Suran Fr. sur, super -above + an -of, related to
    Vrax Lat. uro, urere, ustus -burn + ax -ing suffix
    Xerius Gr. xeros -dry
    Orum Lat. os, oris -mouth
    Neral It. nero -black + al -of, related to
    Nevala Lat. ne -not + valere -to be strong
    Jas Holza Ger. holz -wood
    Surmak Fr. sur, super -above + make
    Bajor bajar -to go down, to descend (Spanish) (because was conquered)
    Empok Nor em -in, empower + notorious
    Terok Nor terror + notorious
    Neelix Lat. ne -not + lex, legis -law or lux, lucis -light, not bright
    Culluh cull -collect, separate
    Vor'cha Lat. vorare -to devour + chance
    Bath leth (blood) bath + to let go
    Spock Lat. specere, spectus -observe, watch, look at + ock -of, related to (he was logical and observant character)

    For those interested in etymology I made various games etymologies at Crestfallen the Way forum:
    http://www.crestfallen.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4011
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2013
  2. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Well this is impressive. Could do with alphabetizing.

    :techman:
     
  3. Hando

    Hando Commander Red Shirt

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    False cognates :wah:
     
  4. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Nope. Annorax is an anagram of Aronnax, the narrator in Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Annorax is basically a Captain Nemo character, so his name was chosen as a Verne homage. (Although it's Chakotay who playes the Aronnax role in "Year of Hell," with Paris as Ned Land.)


    Actually it's from the Arabic or Persian word for a European trader, derived from "Frank" (Frenchman).

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferengi#Etymology

    Wrong again. It's short for "trifunction recorder." In 1966, the portable audio cassette recorder was a cutting-edge new technology, and it inspired the creation of a similar device for the show -- a device that was not only a recorder, but a computer and scanner as well.


    No, Spumco is the name of the animation studio that produced Ren and Stimpy (after "Raymond Spum," a joke pseudonym used by the studio's founder John Kricfalusi). It was one of the many animation and pop-culture in-jokes in the modern Trek shows.


    I think it's more likely inspired by Caliban from The Tempest.


    http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Vor'cha_class#Apocrypha
    Although I doubt that's what the creators of the class had in mind; on the later Trek shows they generally just made up Klingon-sounding words without consulting Marc Okrand.


    No, it's from the Klingon batlh, "sword," and 'etlh, "honor." Originally it was meant to be batlh'etlh, but that was glossed into "bat'leth" for ease of pronunciation. (For the first several years, it was spelled in official sources as "bat'telh," evidently a typo, but eventually the spelling was adjusted to match the standard pronunciation.)


    Most of the rest of the names you cite are probably just stuff the writers made up to sound alien. I doubt they cared much about what Latin and Greek roots they sounded like in most cases. I'll grant that "Ocampa" may have been chosen due to its pastoral resonances, but most of the rest of your speculative etymologies are reaching enormously.
     
  5. GNDN

    GNDN Commodore Commodore

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    Pretty sure Suliban has been noted as a take on Taliban?
     
  6. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    ^Hmm, sounds reasonable. It may be a mix of both.
     
  7. Xand

    Xand Ensign Newbie

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    Spock Lat. specere, spectus -observe, watch, look at + ock -of, related to (he was logical and observant character)
     
  8. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    The Hot for Words chick on YouTube does this kind of thing much better. ;)
     
  9. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Okay, now you're just screwing with us.
     
  10. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    Roddenberry seemed to choose the name Spock because he thought it was unique. Somehow, he was completely unaware of Dr. Benjamin Spock, a well-known pediatrician who had published several child care books. Those books were showing up everywhere in the 1960s, in paperback racks at the grocery stores.

    Dr. Spock was also active in several protests against the Vietnam war. A famous photo taken during the series' production showed Leonard Nimoy in full costume with a newspaper, whose headline was something like "SPOCK ARRESTED".
     
  11. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    ^And Dr. Spock's surname was an Anglicization of the Dutch surname Spaak. I can't find what that name means, though.
     
  12. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    online translator said:n. spoke, any of the bars that extend from the hub to the rim of a wheel; ray, beam
     
  13. iguana_tonante

    iguana_tonante Admiral Admiral

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    Most of them are bullshit.
     
  14. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    Spock = ray beam. It all makes sense now.
     
  15. M'Sharak

    M'Sharak Definitely Herbert. Maybe. Moderator

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    Yup.

    Morbo: Etymology does not work that way. Good night!
     
  16. Xand

    Xand Ensign Newbie

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    Most words have etymology and names also.

    Some examples from other:
    Auriel Lat. aurum -gold + Heb. el -god
    Zanarkand Gr. za -very + narke -numb + Lat. andus, anda -ing suffix
    Balamb garden Lat. ballare -to dance + ambi -around
    Gargamel gargantuan -gigantic, enormous + Lat. malus, mala -evil or Gr. melas -black
    Morag Thong Lat. mors, mortis -death + agere, actus -to do, to make

    Many english words have etymology for example:
    epidemic Gr. επι (epi) -upon, on + δημος (dēmos) -people
    energy Gr. εν (en) -in + εργον (ergon) -work
    octopus Gr. οκτω (oktō) -eight + πους (pous) -foot
    transit L. trans -across + ire, itus -to go
    previous L. prae -before + via -the way
    exit L. ex -out, from + ire, itus -to go
    ancient F. ancien, LL. antianus from L. ante -before
    effect L. ex -out, from + facere -to make
    summit L. summus -highest + ire, itus -to go
    atmosphere Gr. ατμος (atmos) -steam + σφαιρα (sphaira) -ball, sphere
    symbol Gr. συν (syn) -with, together + βαλλω (ballō) -to throw, put
    alarm It. all' arme -to arms
    suburb L. sub -below + urbs, urbis -city
    symmetry Gr. συν (syn) -with, together + μετρον (metron) -measure
    core L. cor -heart
    artifact L. ars, artis -art + facere, factus -to make
    prophecy Gr. προ (pro) -before + φημι (phēmi) -to tell
    add L. addere -add to, join (ad -to + do, dare -to give)
    object L. ob -toward, against + jacere, jactus -to throw
    hippopotamus Gr. 'ιππος (hippos) -horse + ποταμος (potamos) -river
    longevity L. longus -long + aevum -age
    primeval L. primus -first + aevum -age + al -related to
    agriculture L. ager -field + colere -to cultivate, to dwell + ur -related to
    aqueduct L. aqua -water + ducere, ductus -to lead
    rebel L. re -back, again + bellum -war
    embrace, bracelet Gr. bracchium -arm
    capital L. caput, capitis -head + al -related to
    accord, discord, concord, courage L. ad -to, toward + dis -apart + con -together, with + cor, cordis -heart + agere, actus -to do, to drive
    unicorn, uniform, unify, universe L. unus -one + cornu -horn + forma -shape + facere, factus -to do + vertere, versum -to turn
    secure L. se, sed -apart, without + cura -care
    trident L. tri- three + dens, dentis -tooth,
    dignity L. dignus -worthy
    final, infinity, infinitive L. finis -end, limit + al, iv -of, related to confirm,
    firmament L. con -together, with + firm + mens, mentis -mind (used in nouns)
    foliage, portfolio L. folium -leaf + agere, actus -to do + portare -to carry
    deform, formal, formula, information L. de -from, down + forma -shape + al -related to + ul -diminutive
    effort, fortify L. ex -out + fortis -strength + facere, factus -to do affront,
    confront, frontal L. ad -to, toward + frons, frontis -forehead + al -related to
    profound L. pro -before, forward + fundus -bottom
    granary L. granum -grain + arium -place
    gravity L. gravis -heavy + ire, itus -to go
    congregation L. con -together, with + grex, gregis -flock, herd
    humility L. humus -ground + il -related to
    peninsula L. paene -almost + insula -island (in + salum -open sea)
    island is -water + land,
    window wind + ow -eye
    library L. liber -book + arium -place
    manual L. manus -hand + al -related to
    immediate L. medius -middle
    naval L. navis -ship + al -related to
    annihilate L. ad -to, toward + nihil -nothing
    equinox L. aequus -equal + nox, noctis -night
    translucent L. trans -across + lucere -to shine + ens, entis -someone or something that is related
    copious, copy L. co -together, with + ops, opis -wealth, riches
    orbit L. orbis -orb, world + ire, itus -to go
    oval L. ovum -egg + al -related to
    partial, particle L. pars, partis -piece + al -related to + iculum -diminutive
    pacific L. pax. pacis -peace + facere, factus -to do, to make
    bicycle Gr. bi, bis -two + cyclos -circle
    expedition, pedal L. ex -out + pes, pedis -foot + al -related to
    pinnacle L. pinna -feather portal L. porta -gate + al -related to
    appreciate, precious L. ad -to, toward + pretium -price
    reality L. res, rei -thing + al -related to
    derive, rival L. de -from, down + rivus -brook + al -related to
    seminary L. semen -seed
    senator, senility, senior L. senex -old man + il -related to
    temperature L. tempus, temporis -time + ur -related to
    umbrella L. umbra -shadow + ella -diminutive
    ventilator L. ventus -wind + il -related to
    fissure L. findere, fissum -to cleave, to split + ur -related to
    ambiguous, exact, navigate, purge, redact L. ambi -around + ex -out + agere, actus -to do, to make + navis -ship + purus -pure + re, red -back, again
    coalition L. co -together, with + alere -to nourish
    adapt, inept L. ad -to, toward + aptare -to fit
    occident L. ob -toward, against + cadere -to fall + -ens, -entis -related to
    orient L. oriri -to rise + -ent -related to
    current L. currere -to run + -ent -related to
    edict, prediction L. e, ex -out + dicere, dictus -to say + prae -before
    fossil L. fodere, fossus -to dig + il -related to
    Avatar ava -down + tr, tara -to cross (Sanskrit)
    delete Lat. de -off, away, down + linere, litus -to smear, wipe
     
  17. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    ^"Etymology" does not just mean "basis in Greek or Latin." There are many other languages that words can be derived from. And etymology doesn't just mean making up imagined Latin or Greek derivations based on vague phonetic resemblances. It means doing actual research into the history of words. If you're so fixated on word derivations, you should know that "-ology" means science or study. Science means testing your ideas, not just making stuff up and claiming it's fact.
     
  18. iguana_tonante

    iguana_tonante Admiral Admiral

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    No shit. And I bet most people have biological parents, too!

    You mean they were not granted fully finished from Thoth? :(
     
  19. Xand

    Xand Ensign Newbie

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    Ezri Dax Heb. azar -to help + Lat. dare, datus -to give + -ax -having ability, -ing suffix (she had transplant)
    Darth Vader dark + Lat. vadere, vasus -to walk.Dark walker as opposite of Luke skywalker.
     
  20. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    Etymologists must be lots of fun at parties. :shifty:

    Apparently, all those interpretations of "Darth Vader" meaning "Dark Father" over the last 30 years were wrong.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2013